KUCHING: Twenty-one media practitioners from 17 news organisations throughout Malaysia attended a workshop on “Role of Media in Covering Security Cooperation” at the Hilton Hotel here.
The two-day event was organised by Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) in collaboration with Embassy of the United States (US) of America in Kuala Lumpur. It started at 8am yesterday and is expected to end at 7pm today.
Gracing the event was US Ambassador to Malaysia Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir.
The first day of the event witnessed four sessions by four speakers respectively, namely Strat3 LLC senior managing director Robert (Bob) Jensen on US Government Crisis Communications: Lessons Learned; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) lecturer in Strategy Programme Dr Farizal Mohd Razalli on Challenges facing on the Security Issues in Southeast Asia: Perspective from an Academician, National Disaster Management Agency Malaysia (Ndma) director of Operation Coordination Division Dr Jafri Abdul Jalil on Managing Security Issues related to Disaster in Malaysia: Roles of Government Agencies and US Naval Officer cum Communication Advisor in Singapore, Commander Sean Riordan on Partnering with Military Public Affairs.
MPI chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Dr Chamil Wariya believed that this year’s workshop will help the journalists to have a better understanding in peace-building, conflict prevention, disaster preparedness, humanitarian relief and also in countering disinformation.
“The workshop acts as a forum for the local journalists to evaluate and discuss best practices in the coverage of security, defence, disaster response and humanitarian relief across Southeast Asia to promote regional engagement,” he stated.
“It also aims to build awareness of existing mechanisms and initiatives as well as to develop ideas of how to improve frameworks for cooperation to communicate best practices, exchange lessons learned, and discuss strategic initiatives and adaptations designed to meet the challenges facing the security issues in the region,” he elaborated.
Chamil added that the workshop will consider areas such as “peace journalism” and instil professional standards to ensure the highest quality reporting.
“The workshop will provide an international panel of subject matter experts to enhance the skills of Malaysian journalists reporting on these highly important issues,” he added.
MPI and the US Embassy have been collaborating in organising the annual workshop since 2009. Among the topics involved were reporting on trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and role of media in covering violent extremism (CVE) and radicalisation and terrorism.
